Braxton Hicks or the Real Thing??

If it's the real thing you'll know it. With both of mine i knew I needed to get to the hospital. I had been having contractions with both for weeks. When they are more intense is when you know you're in labor. If you can barely tell you're having them, then don't worry yet. You will feel them when you're ready.

L.

People always say "you will know" when they are real. SO NOT TRUE FOR EVERYONE! I started having irregular contractions that didn't really hurt all that bad. More annoying than anything. Thank goodness I had a doctors appointment that morning because I was in labor. I didn't hurt or feel steady contractions until I was about nine centimeters. IT HAPPENED FAST. If I didn't have my doctors appointments that morning I never would have made it to the hospital. My point is, BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.(also, watch for the plug, it doesn't always happen right away, but it can be a good indicator)

I know, it is so hard to actually tell the difference. HOWEVER, err on the side of caution- ALWAYS! Who cares if the nurses on the maternity floor send you home every day for the next 5 days- you do what you have to do to take care of that little peanut. OR call the doctor's office every day for the next 10 days! That is what they are they for- it doesn't matter what they think of you- what matters is that you are following your gut to take care of your own!

Good luck and Happy Labor!
K.

My contractions felt like cramps from the beginning and they were steady, every 3 to 5 minutes. After four hours of that, we went to the hospital and I was in active labor and dilated to a 2. Had my son 7 hours later!
I would go to the hospital.
Good luck!!

Hi there
I had the same question myself with my 2nd because with my 1st child, I was induced and had an epidural right away too. I didn't feel a thing! I had to get induce because my water bag broken 24 hours before going to the hositpal, I didn't know my water broke L.O.L I didn't feel anything plus... The nurse said my contractions very slow and it was better to induce me since the bag was already broken.
With my 2nd child I started to have braxton hicks around 6 or 7 months of pregnancy on and off, like most moms said until the real thing. I was very confuse because I wasn't sure what I was suppose to feel? Since with the 1st I didn't really feel anything.

WHat I do know is.. with the braxton hicks it does feel like cramp some hard than others and went alway. The contraction are different pain.. you will just know it's the real thing becaue the pain gets hard but not like cramp it feels more like you need to go #2, harder and harder..Well that's what it felt with me. I went to the hositpal and I was 4cm then 6cm. I asked for the epidural. l.o.l because I didn't want to have a normal labor my 1st was a big baby, 8 lbs and 6ounce and I had a feeling my second was too.. ouch! she was 8lbs 9ounces. I didn't want to feel the pain! Well Again I know it's different with different woman.. ( I guess I was just one of the lucky ones that didn't feel that much pain) Hope this helps just a little bit. Good luck!

if you think youre in labor then go to the maternity floor where you plan to deliver... they can monitor you and if youre not ready they will either send you home or start inducing...

i had the same problem with my second child. never had any cramping or braxton hicks with my first baby, i was induced when she was two weeks late. with my son i kept feeling pressure and i thought "wow he is really low" or "he is positioned weird" and i kept feeling alot of pressure. i figured it out later that these were actually braxton hicks contractions. the best way for me to tell when i was having one was to feel part of my belly that was soft and when i thought i was having one feel that same spot and if it was hard(the muscles contract) then i knew what it was. i had them a few days every few minutes for about two weeks before i had my son, a week early. the night i went into labor i had them and ignored them as just another false alarm and went to bed. in the morning when they got so strong, way to hard to ignore i went to the dr. and was 5 cm dialated. the braxton hicks lead into real contractions but until it got close to delivery they never were really painful and i felt silly that i'd been having them for months and never knew what they were. i hope this helps.
T. s

With my son (my 2nd child) I was in labor for 3 weeks. I'm not kidding! The little stinker had me in the hopspital every other day. I'd stop having contractions as soon as I got up on the exam table... even after staying home for hours and timing the contractions. For some reason they wouldn't induce me so I was at 4cm for 2 weeks! He finally came a day after his due date. Little Stinker! What made it worse was my hubby was out to sea the 2 weeks before he was due so I was freaking out!!! I know what you're going through!

Hey A.,
I am 35 weeks pregnant and started having contractions and was hospitalized for them. I didn't know they were contractions until I looked at them on the monitor. And mine were frequent but the thing is they didn't progress into labor. So you could be having contractions and next time they do a non stress test watch the monitors and see when you are having a contraction so you can identify what it feels like in your body. To me I can tell now because I can feel when my stomach gets tight but after drinking a ton of water and laying on my side, they will stop I know its not real labor because it doesn't progress. I hope this is helpful. Good luck and congrats on having your baby soon.

I remember about a week before I had my daughter, I was having braxton hicks like crazy!! Like everyone below says, you can tell when your tummy gets really HARD. I'm pretty sure that it is normal to experience these painless, contractions for quite a while before real labor. In fact the night before I went into labor I was having them very regular but they didnt hurt at all, so I knew it wassnt real labor. That next morning is when I knew that it would be the day because they turned into very uncomfortable cramps while my tummy got hard. I tried to stay at home for most of the day until I knew I REALLY needed to be at the hospital. It's more comfortable to be at home and to be able to walk around. As soon as I got to the hospital they strapped me up to monitors and wanted me on my bed during most of my labor (which is not as comfortable).

My best advice, if you think you need to be seen, then by all means go to the hospital. They will let you know exactly what your body is doing!

Hi A.
I had Braxton Hicks contractions starting in my 7th month of pregnancy. What they felt like to me were not cramps. They were my muscles tightening and releasing. They were not uncomfortable, but more annoying than anything else.
I hope this helps you.

Hi A.,
I just have a couple of things to add to the great feedback you've already received. Contractions typically start around 6 or 7 months of pregnancy but women don't really feel them, or they just feel like a slight tightening of the stomach with no pain. The closer you get to birthing your child, the more frequent and intense they get. So in reality, your body is already starting the birthing process but it's hard to know how much longer you have to go! It can be crazymaking for sure but try to trust that your body knows what to do and don't let fear rule your mind. Besides, unless you want another epidural right away, the longer you labor at home, the more comfortable you'll be. Like the other moms said, call your doctor or go to the hospital if you have concerns. Also, don't worry too much about the cord being wrapped around the baby's neck - it's VERY common but is often used as a scare tactic. As long as they know that it's wrapped and they're checking periodically (in active labor) to see that the baby is not distressed, it's easy to slip it off once the head is out during delivery. Try to relax and enjoy the process - I probably sound crazy but you're bringing a new life into the world and women have been doing it since human life began. Amazing!!! And you may be one of the lucky ones who doesn't have a lot of discomfort from contractions :)
Good luck and have a safe, healthy and joyful birth!